Paving block



March 8 ,1927.

` A. M. ZOTTOLI PAVING BLOCK "Filed June 2l. 1925 jzvenaow vl im@ Fay.

Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNiTED STATES ANTHONY M. ZOTTOLI, 0F QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

PAVING BLOCK.

Application lcd June 21, 1923.

rlhis invention relates to a new and useful improvement in paving blocks. Paving blocks as usually constructed and laid have a tendency to settle more or less unevenly, owing to heavy traffic or uneven settling of the bed in which the blocks are laid, er seme other causes, so that frequently one of the blocks will be settled more than an adjacent bleek, thereby creating numerous dcpressions in the pavement, se that the pavementbecomes uneven and occasions jolting of the vehicles. Furthermore, after the irregular settling of the blocks in this way, they are more liable to become broken than if the surface were maintained uniform. There is also a tendency of the blocks to be separated from each other, beth laterally and longitudinally of the travelled way more than is intended by the thin spacing which is left in the original pavement. This produces spaces which are not filled by the sand or cement in which the blocks are originally laid and rendersthe blocks more likely te be crumbled er breken.

The object of the present invention is to provide such a. construction of paving block that the blocks when laid and chinked with cement will have an interlock of the cement in such manner as te prevent sliding. creeping er settling of the blocks.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

in the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a paving block embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section ef one of the blocks.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section.

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view of a section of pavement laid up with blocks embodying the invention.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5, Fig. 4,.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a modified form of block.

Referring new to the drawings, there is shown at l a paving block embodying the invention, which is preferably molded and made of concrete er cement, or other suitable material ef which molded paving blocks are made. The block is of rectangular ferm and molded in such manner that it is formed with a recess 2 in each of its two vertical Serial No. 646,798.

sides and with a recess 3 in each of its two ends. The upper or tread facev and the lower face are preferably unrecessed. The purpose of the recesses 2 and 3 in the vertical sides and ends is to receive the gobs lo-f cement when the blocks are laid in the pavement and the cement is poured in through the crevices between the blocks, so that there will be fins 5 ef cement filling the crevices, the fins being connected with the gobs which lill the recesses.

When the blocks are molded, there are embedded in the block two rods 6 and 7, the rod 6 extending llongitudinally through the block, and the rod 7 extending transversely through the block, the rod 6 projecting through the end recesses 3 and preferably for a short distance beyond the plane of the end face of the block, and the rod 7 extending through the recesses 2 in the side faces of the block and also projecting preferably fer a short distance beyond the plane of the side face of the block.l Preferably the lengtudinal rods 6 are formed with a bent outer end portion 8 at each end and the transverse reds 7 are formed with a bend 9 at their outer ends. Preferably these rods are made of stiff wire.

N hen the blocks are laid, as shown in Fig. d, with thin spaces between them, the cement will be poured in. filling up the spaces be tween the blocks and the recesses 2 and 3 in the sides and ends of each block, forming gobs 4L which extend from the interior of the recess in one block te the interior of the recess in the adjacent block, the gebs having` fins 5 which lill the thin spaces between the blocks. This, of itself, has some effect in preventing the settling of one block with relation to another and also of the creeping of one Vblock with relation te another, but under heavy traiiic the pressure of a heavy lead on any one ef the blocks which is not equally applied to the adjacent block frequently breaks this geb of cement between the two adjacent blocks. By reason of the reds which project from all the vertical sides of the blocks and are embedded in the ce ment, there is provided a reenforce to the cement which enables the blocks to stand a much greater strain longitudinally, laterally and vertically. The straight projecting portions 6. 7 of the rods aid materially in tying the several blocks together, but by forming the reds with the bends at the ends, the strength is greatly increased.

The straight, outwardly extending portions 7 of the transverse rods and the bent end portions 8 of the longitudinal rods all act against the line ot' pressure or thrust and thereby aid in preventing longitudinal displacement or creeping of the blocks. The straight, outwardly extending portions G ot' the longitudinal rods which extend at right angles to the. tace of the block, and the bent ends 9 of the transverse rods which lie at right angles with the end faces ot the blocks resist lateral thrust or movement oit' the blocks, and the entire protruding portions ot all ot the rods resist the sagging of the blocks.

In the. modification shown in Figure 5, the longitudinal rods ll and the transverse rods l2 are both shown as extending through the blocl; and projecting from the faces thereofl at an acute angle to the sides and ends otthe block without being bent. this form of construction, the projecting rods all entend at an angle to the line of pressure longitudinally, laterally, and downwardly.-

llhile the rods are shown as being continuous entirely through the block.` this is not essential, the important feature being that there shall be a protruding portion and an embedded portion of suiiicient length to be anchored iirmly in the block.

The rods are preferably made of iron` but may be made ot any other suitable material.

Vl/"Vhat I claim is:

l. A rectangular paving block having a recess in each of its vertical sides, each re cess being entirely within the margin of the outer side face ot the block and bordered all around by a flush portion of the side tace, and rods embedded in the block which respectively extend longitudinally and. transversely entirely through the block and project outwardly through said recessed portions beyond the plane of the side tace of the block, and having hook like ends.

2. A pavement composed of blocks each having recesses in its :tour vertical vfaces, each of said recesses being entirely within the margin of the respective face and surrounded by a marginal portion flush with the outer face olY the block, and rods secured in said blocks which respectively extend longitudinally and transversely entirely through the hloclr` and project out through the said recesses in the sides beyond the outer face of the block, said blocks being laid with thin spaces between them, said spaces being filled with cementitious material which {ills said recesses and the crevices between the blocks and embeds the projecting portions of the rods therein.

A pavement composed ot' blocks having recesses in their vertical faces`r each of said recesses being entirely within the margin ot the respective face and surrounded by a marginal portion iiush with the outer face ot' the blocl;y and rods secured in said bloc-ks which respectively project out through the .fr id recesses inthe sides beyond the outer face of the block, said blocks being laid with thin spa-ces between them, and with the rods ot' each block projecting into the recesses in the sides oi the adjacent blocks, said spaces and recesses being filled with cementitious material which embeds the projecting portions ot the rods therein.

4f. A pavement composed of blocks having recesses in both sides and ends, each ot said recesses being intermediate the edges thereof and entirely within the margin ot the respective faces and surrounded by a marginal portion flush with the outer face of the. block, and rods secured in said blocks which respectively extend longitudinally and transversely through the block and project out through the said recesses in the sides beyond the outer tace of the block, said blocks being` laid so that each recess in any block will tace a recess in an adjacent block and form therewith a combination pocket. and with the rods ot each block projecting into the recesses in the sides of the adjacent block and cementitious material which fills said recesses and embeds the projecting. portions ci' the rods therein` the rods in each block lapping past the rods in the adjacent block and being formed with bends at the ends which are embedded in the cement.

In testimony whereof 'l aiiix mv signature. ANTHONY M. ZOT T @L1 

